Electric cars: have you got one?

Andreas we all have different opinions based on the people we mix with.
That sounds like European travel so perhaps the EU is better sorted for EV.
You are lucky to have an EV at the quality end of the market. If you live in London you are probably ok.
In the countryside chargers are harder to come by.

My neighbours tell me their 190k electric Porches and 100k electric Range Rovers whilst very nice to drive do use the juice very quickly.


Hopefully Steve will give us a balanced view on his EV journey as the weeks and months progress.

 

"My neighbours tell me their 190k electric Porches and 100k electric Range Rovers whilst very nice to drive do use the juice very quickly."

And the resale values (certainly a few years back) on those electric Porsche SUV models was so bad that dealers started refusing to take them in part exchange! The not so joyous side of "four years into battery pack life re-sale" after buying brand new, or on old time tick ("hire purchase", bank loan; or cash ("Cash! I should cocoa John!))

That's why in the recent years "PCP" deals and the like have become de-facto. Folks have 'em for three years and at end of contract stick the "old car" in against another PCP deal.

Kind regards, are many buying a new car outright nowadys? Seldom always,

Jim.

 

Gas powered? You mean like this?

 

When coal was king.

And black lung too :-(

Kind regards, those gas-bags they don't like it up 'em - and that includes me! Always,

Jim.

 

Frank, stop beating around the bush - what do you think of range anxiety?

 

Until there are no more petrol/diesel cars and the government starts noticing a big hole in their funds.

 

I've given you the reason why your statement is totally wrong in the UK context.

London - Newcastle = 290 miles. You do one charge at Doncaster or South Normanton on the way down, after 150 miles, 20 minutes. You need to charge in or outside London (e.g. your hotel parking or roadside), you do one charge on the way back up, at either of the two stations. A claim that it takes three days is not an opinion, it is a factual statement and its wrong.

I live in the countryside. I cannot swing a cat without hitting a high-powered charger, I've got several within 15-30 minutes drive from here.

There's no electric Range Rover, that can only be a hybrid, different proposition. If your neighbours paid 190k for their Porsche, it may not be electric either I suspect, but hybrid. The Taycan comes in around 85-100k, but maybe with tons of extras you can get it to 190k. 275 miles paper range, a bit less than my ID.4. The journey as outlined above would work.

All the best

Andreas

 

Yeah, my wife's BMW sends you angry messages in the app. The VW tells you in the car if it drops too much. Mind, it can drop a fair bit before these pop up.

Both cars have a 12V-operated pump in the trunk, so easy as pie to refill the tyre.

All the best

Andreas

 

To be fair, I think Clive’s three day comment was comic exaggeration, to make a point, not to be taken literally, any more than you not being able to swing a cat in the countryside without running into a charger, which is equally untrue given the size of the average domestic cat and your arms.

 

On second thoughts the lowest gear ratio on a 4 speed electric Brompton is very high, so I won't bother. The new rear wheel electric motor has a four speed derailleur at the wheel end of the chain: the electric motor is where the Sturmey Archer hub is on my old Brompton: I have a two speed derailleur in addition.

Mine is the - 12% lower gear version: one complete turn of the pedals sends you 29.1 inches , on the modern 4 speed the lowest gear sends you 52 inches.

 

I get that, but even as comic exaggeration it has issues. I don't know many people really who won't take a 20-30 minute break on a 300 mile journey up and down the M1.

There's a lot of outdated perception about electric vehicles that is based on what the situation was like as short as four years ago (and it was pretty dire when we got our first EV), but it has changed to a point that these are no longer issues.

I would calculate that charging on paper adds about 2 hours to a ten hour, 600 mile drive (typically 3-4 charges depending on many factors), compared to just being able to barrel through. In reality of course, you take breaks and stretch your legs even in a petrol car, and you do need to stop to fill it up as well, so the real add is considerably less than that.

All the best

Andreas

 

Get a track pump: you know it makes sense ! "200 lbs of surfboard Hercules" as 10 CC sang ( which I'm not.)

 

But your calf Andreas, your calves even!

Kind regards, pump up the volume, always,

Jim.

 

All said and done a hybrid might be ok but in the mean time my preference is pure petrol power or big diesel. Or even nitro

 

I'm one.

I make a 500 mile trip 15 to 20 times a year.

Here's the mileage from my Subie Crosstrek (2 liter gas engine) from a recent two day trip. 40 MPG for 866 miles. Total time spent refueling was about five minutes.

"Gotta make time!"

 

Sure, but we all know that Americans are weird.

All the best

Andreas

 

I have the honourable gentleman know that my wife is perfectly happy with the shape of my shapely legs.

All the best

Andreas

 

Guilty!

 

40.1 divided by 3.785 ( U.S. Gallon to litres ) equals 10.59445178 litres or liters times 4.54609 to convert to mpg for one imperial gallon equals 48.16333131 miles per Imperial Gallon for your long trip. I think. A tiger in your tank ? The Shirelles on the CD player ?

 

The bottom line in the UK if you are lucky to have the funds to lease a EV or even buy one then all power to your elbows.
Many people just stick with what they have.
Out in the sticks the vehicles that did not meet the latest London omissions are now making a resurgence seeing loads of older petrol and diesels in the lanes.